Top Propane Water Heaters Reviewed

Propane water heaters are like natural gas water heating
systems, very efficient and reliable units, and great alternative when
natural gas is not a viable option. They differ in properties that
affect combustion and safety care.

Propane
gas, LP or liquid petroleum is common in urban and suburban
residential areas. LP is also known as rural fuel, because it is not
delivered to homes by gas pipelines like natural gas, but
by truck who deliver and fill up the residential storage tanks,
that are adjacent to the house.

Safety tip

Since propane
gas has relatively high density, you must be very careful in handling
of propane. Unlike natural gas that dissipates, propane gas tends to
collect and settle at the lowest point of the room where LP water
heaters are installed. Gas detectors are recommended.

You will notice when buying one of the
propane water heaters brands that they are the same as natural gas
water heaters and that conversion kit is usually included,
which
modifies
the gas orifice and gas pressure regulator on the unit.

Gas burner is the same, but propane hot water heaters need
more air for
LP combustion, so that is what has to be aware of.

Note:
Operating gas pressure for propane water heaters is much higher than
for natural gas due to the higher BTU and special gravity.

Benefits

LP gas water heater burns cleaner and non toxic. It
is recognized as "green" energy, with low carbon content.

Propane
is an environmentally friendly fuel, with reduced greenhouse
emission, savings in energy and your money.

Propane water heaters are energy efficient
heating units.

They cost one third less to operate than
electric heaters.

Propane water heaters recover hot water twice as
quickly as electric.

They provide great value as they burn hotter and it
takes shorter to pay for itself via energy savings.

It is reliable. Homes are most often served by
individual storage tanks, so power supply is virtually uninterruptible.

Safe because of the built-in properties and strict
regulations.

Wider selection of sizes, installation, and venting
options for heaters.

LP water heaters are extremely durable and can last
long with minimum
service requirements, while heating elements in electric
models
usually require replacement several times over its lifetime.

Tax credits for propane water heater users.

When
searching for the propane water heaters, you can, like with natural gas
units, choose between storage or tank type and on-demand
or tankless models.

Note:
All heaters are rated for combustion efficiency, or how many
BTUs
are actually used to heat water. If a standard heater has a
combustion efficiency of 80 percent, 80 percent of the available BTUs
are being used for heating. The other 20 percent are lost up
the
flue.

Types

Tank-type

Propane hot
water tanks
are with capacities ranging from 40 gallons to more than 100
gallons. Tank type propane water heaters work on the same principle as
tanks on natural gas... more here.

Note: 50 gallon LP water heater can provide as much hot water
as 66-88
gallon electric unit in 2.5 baths home.

When
installing these conventional tank type propane water heaters you will
see in the manual that they are subject to special requirements for
venting.

Usually there are two manuals, one is for
installation and the other describes venting requirements. This is one
of the reasons why we recommend a licensed plumbers / professionals.
More about propane here.

Tankless

Propane tankless
water heaters are
also popular as they offer modern and space saving design,
they
are much more efficient than tank type, using less fuel and decreasing
emission and greenhouse gases. The process of how they prepare hot
water is similar to natural gas combustion. For more info about
tankless heaters, read here.

Consumer
reviews of top rated models

Bosch AquaStar 125FX LP

Bosch AquaStar
liquid propane tankless water heater, model 125FX LP,
is the indoor model with built-in power vent great for horizontal
venting. The unit provides 3.5 gallons per minute and is
for one bath home.

Price
is around $850.

Pros:

money saver

great quality

easy to install

good warranty, 12 years

great for one bedroom apartment (need 30 s for hot
water)

Cons:

takes some time to get the right temperature

not enough pressure

hard to install venting

venting kit not included

expensive vent kit

Overall rating: 3.5 of 5

Bosch 2700ES

Bosch 2700ES
LP Aquastar 7.2 GPM is an indoor tankless propane water heater with an
average life expectancy of 20 years. It provides enough hot water for 3
major appliances. It has electronic ignition, modulating gas valve from
19,900 to 199,000 BTU. For optimal performance it features a computer
adjusted fuel and air mixture.

Tip:
LP water heaters should not be installed in a basement if such
installation is prohibited by federal, state, local laws and codes.

Conclusion:

If
we compare prices between tank type and tankless water heaters that are
using LP as a fuel, these instant units are costing up to twice than
standard models. But, the saving comes from operating costs, and
on-demand models can pay for themselves in a matter of months.

Help

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